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As a Chicago car accident and injury lawyer, I know that seventy-five percent of motor vehicle accidents occur within 15 to 20 miles of your home. The majority of car crashes occurs on roads with posted speed limits of below 40 mph.

Car accidents are the leading cause of death for individuals ages 1-34. For children under 1 yr. of age, they ranked 3rd. It is estimated that approximately 42% of all accidental childhood deaths are due to car accidents. In the past decade, the design of cars has become safer. Technology has given us better seat belt protection and of course, the airbag. The seat belt continues to be the most important safety devise in a vehicle.

Just this week, I was reading an article on a rollover accident that occurred in Arizona. It involved a young mother and her two small children. One of the rollover accident victims rollover accident left the sustained very severe injuries. It is reported that the victim suffered from severe lower extremity injuries. Police have reported that she was not wearing a seatbelt at the time of the rollover crash. What was amazing was the children were secured in car seats. The proper use of seat belts probably saved their lives.

As a Chicago child injury lawyer, I see how the results of these types of car crashes can impact a family. They can leave children with a TBI (Traumatic head injury), spinal cord injuries or death. According to national statistics, car seats can decrease infant death close to 70%. What's alarming is if you look at the age group statistics. Children in the age group of 1-4 yrs. of age, seat belt use can reduce the risk of death by over 50%. Another factor is, if a car passenger is not wearing a seatbelt they can be ejected from the car. When passengers are ejected from the car, they have a greater than 4 chance of death. The chances of sustaining a catastrophic injury also increase. They are at a greater risk to suffer a spinal cord injury or traumatic brain injury.

Let's face it, wearing a seatbelt can save your life. As a reminder, auto accidents are the number one killer of children. It is estimated that five children die each day in car accidents. Over 600 children are injured in car crashes. The number one cause of death is improper use or lack of seatbelt use. This also holds true for booster seats and child restraints. If you are going to use seat belts make sure that they are used properly. Most accidents occur during the day so buckle up!